Authorities ID man found dead in tent on city's north side as Charles Childs, 61, of Des Moines

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Updated: 6:20 PM CST Jan 10, 2019

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WEBVTT WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS MONTH TO DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A RADON IN YOUR HOME. WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. WE HAVE LEARNED THE NAME OF A MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE A TENT AT A DES MOINES HOMELESS CAMP. POLICE SAY THAT 69-YEAR-OLD CHARLES MICHAEL CHILDS DIED FROM INJURIES HE SUSTAINED AFTER A HIT AND RUN. STACEY: CHILDS WAS FOUND THIS MORNING AT A CAMP NEAR EAST MADISON AVENUE JUST NORTH OF GRAND VIEW UNIVERSTY. KCCI’S HANNAH HILYARD IS LIVE WHERE POLICE BELIEVE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENE HANNA, POLICE SAY THAT THIS IS AN UNUSUAL INVESTIGATION. HANNAH: YES, IT IS UNUSUAL BECAUSE THE INITIAL CRIME, THE HIT AND RUN, WAS NEVER REPORTED TO THE POLICE TWO DAYS AGO. I AM A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE HOMELESS CAMP WHERE CHILD’S WAS FOUND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TIRE TRACKS RIGHT HERE CLEARLY, THIS IS WHERE THEY BELIEVE THE CRASH OCCURRED. >> I HAVE TRIED TO TRACE IT BACK TO THINK IF I HEARD SIRENS, BREAKS, NOTHING. AND I DIDN’T COME I JUST DIDN’T. HANNAH: NORM DAVIS IS RACKING HIS BRAIN TRYING TO REMEMBER ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD EARLIER IN THE WEEK. BECAUSE THURSDAY, DES MOINES POLICE SHOWED UP PRACTICALLY IN HIS FRONT YARD. INVESTIGATING A HIT AND RUN CRASH. >> I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN OUT THERE TO HELP SOMEBODY, BUT I DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING. HANNAH: AND INITIALLY, NEITHER DID POLICE. THEY SAY THEY DIDN’T LEARN ABOUT THE CRASH UNTIL THEY RECEIVED REPORTS OF A MAN FOUND DEAD IN HIS TENT IN A NEARBY HOMELESS CAMP SGT. PAUL PARIZEK: IT’S A PRETTY UNUSUAL CASE. HANNAH: DES MOINES POLICE SGT. PAUL PARIZEK SAYS THOSE IN THE HOMELESS CAMP IN THE WOODS, BEHIND BUSINESSES ON EAST MADISON AVENUE, REPORTED THE DEATH OF ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS, THURSDAY MORNING. INSTANTLY, HE SAYS THEY DETERMINED HIS DEATH, WAS SUSPICIOUS. SGT. PAUL PARIZEK: WE UNCOVERED SOME EVIDENCE THAT WE THINK INDICATES THAT THIS MAN MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF AN UNREPORTED HIT AND RUN CRASH ON TUESDAY, LATE AFTERNOON. HANNAH: WITH TWO CRIME SCENES, POLICE SPENT MUCH OF THE MORNING COLLECTING EVIDENCE AT THE CAMP, AND AT THE CRASH SITE. TIRE TRACKS, STILL VISIBLE NEAR THE SIDEWALK, EVEN TWO DAYS LATER. SGT. PAUL PARIZEK: THIS WILL INVOLVE JUST ABOUT EVERY BUREAU OF OUR DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW. OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE PATROL OFFICERS OUT HERE. BUT IT’S GOING TO TOUCH OUR HOMICIDE DETECTIVES AND OUR TRAFFIC UNIT RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. HANNAH: AS THEY CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE, DAVIS ASKS FOR DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN, AND SHOW RESPECT. >> IF YOU HIT SOMEBODY, STOP AND HELP THEM. REGARDLESS IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET IN TROUBLE OR NOT, HELP OTHER PEOPLE. HANNAH: POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE SITUATION, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RELEASED ANY SORT OF SUSPECT DESCRIPTION AT THIS TIME. WE WILL RELAY THAT INFORMATION TO THE VIEWERS AS SOON AS WE

A man believed to be the victim of a hit-and-run crash that was never reported to authorities was found dead Thursday after drifters found his body at a homeless camp on Des Moines’ north side.

The body of the man, identified as 69-year-old Charles Childs, of Des Moines, was found in a tent around 9:30 a.m. behind some businesses on East Madison Avenue, just north of Grand View University, police said.

He may have died of those injuries he suffered in the crash, police said.

Investigators said they believe the hit-and-run crash happened a few blocks away from where Childs' body was found. There were still tire tracks Thursday in the grass.

“I tried to trace it back to think if I heard sirens, brakes,” said Norm Davis, who lives nearby. “I would have definitely been out there to help somebody, but I didn’t hear anything.”

Police said Childs' death is considered suspicious because they uncovered evidence indicating his potential involvement in an unreported hit-and-run crash.

With two crime scenes, investigators sifted through the camp for evidence and at the crash site.

BREAKING: @DMPolice are investigating a suspicious death at a homeless camp deep in the woods behind this business on E. Madison Ave. A man was found dead in his tent. Police believe he may have been the victim of an unreported hit and run late Tuesday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/xKtWp22Swg

“This will involve just about every bureau of our department right now,” Parizek said. “Obviously there are patrol officers out here, but it’s going to touch our homicide detectives and our traffic unit right now until we can figure out exactly what happened.”

As authorities continue to investigate the death and crash, Davis said he wants drivers to slow down and show respect.

“If you hit somebody, stop and help them,” Davis said. “I mean, regardless if you’re going to get in trouble or not, help other people.”

The case remains under investigation. Check back with KCCI-TV, kcci.com or our mobile app for developments to this story.